Kim Jong Un prepares to launch North Korea's first spy satellite.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inspected a completed military spy satellite, which some analysts believe could be launched in the coming weeks using banned technology. The satellite is seen as necessary for space-based reconnaissance and countering the US and South Korea. However, some South Korean analysts have argued that the satellite is too small and insufficient to capture high-resolution imagery from space. North Korea has launched roughly 100 missiles since the start of 2022, and its latest push to launch a satellite into space is just one of Kim’s top priority items. Japan has also taken steps to prepare for a potential Pyongyang satellite launch.